WhatsApp may be launching an AirDrop-like feature

Imagine that you're at a friend's place, cracking up over a hilarious video you just recorded on your iPhone, but you soon realise that there's no decent Internet to send it to your friend who uses an Android phone.

Because there's no easy way to send files across iPhone and Android devices – except you use apps designed for file-sharing, which require Internet access, you are left scratching your head for a solution.

You've probably heard about Nearby Share, Google's answer to Apple's AirDrop that (as the name suggests) lets you share files and content between Android devices and your MacBook nearby.

What if you could use WhatsApp to share the video without an Internet connection?

Since January this year, there have been reports that WhatsApp is working on its own file sharing feature to enable its users in close proximity to share files with each other.

According to WABetaInfo, the feature which is currently being tested on Android phones but is also likely to roll out for iPhone users, will allow users to share photos, videos and documents with users nearby wirelessly using an end-to-end encrypted connection. 

Just like AirDrop, both the sender and receiver will need to have the "People Nearby" option open on WhatsApp to initiate the transfer process for Android users, while iOS users will need to scan a QR code to share files without an internet connection.

The feature is expected to be a useful tool, especially for users in areas with limited or expensive data plans such as in African and Asian countries.